Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy Honors Distinguished Alumni

Secretary of the Army John M. McHugh, MPA ’77 to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

ALBANY, N.Y. (May 16, 2013) — The Secretary of the Army, an international coordinator for nuclear threat reduction programs and a campaign finance expert for a multinational mass media corporation are among the internationally recognized scholars and public policy leaders to be honored by the University at Albany’s Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy on Friday, May 17.

U.S. Secretary of the Army John M. McHugh, honored with the Rockefeller College Lifetime Achievement Award on May 17.

The 29th Annual Alumni Awards Ceremony will recognize seven distinguished individuals for service to the public and to Rockefeller College in the areas of political science, public administration, leadership, and continuing professional development. The event, held at the New York State Museum, begins at 6 p.m.

“Our awardees are shining examples of professionals who are successfully confronting the challenges of the 21st Century,” said David L. Rousseau, dean, Rockefeller College. “Their intelligence, hard work, and commitment to service leave a lasting impression on our communities, nation and world. They are also wonderful role models for our students who are preparing to become tomorrow’s leaders.”

The 2013 Alumni Award recipients include:

Rockefeller College Lifetime Achievement Award - John M. McHugh, MPA ’77, Secretary of the Army. Sworn in as the 21st Secretary of the Army on September 21, 2009, McHugh previously served nine terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing northern and central New York.

Distinguished Alumna in Political Science Award - Addie J. Russell, BA ’00, Member, New York State Assembly, Assembly District 116. Representing the region known as the "River District," which follows the shore of the Saint Lawrence River from Lake Ontario to the town of Massena and borders Fort Drum and the Black River, Russell chairs the Assembly Task Force on Women's Issues and the Subcommittee on Women Veterans.

Distinguished Alumna in Public Administration and Policy Award - Bonnie D. Jenkins, MPA ’88, Coordinator for Threat Reduction Programs, U.S. Department of State. Chair of the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction (GP) in 2012 and continuing as U.S. representative to GP this year, Ambassador Jenkins is the State Department’s lead on the Nuclear Security Summit.

Young Alumnus in Political Science Award - Peter W. Brusoe PhD, BA ’03, MA ’04, Campaign Finance and Lobbying Data Analyst, Bloomberg, L.P. Since 2011, Brusoe has overseen the development of campaign finance and lobbying databases and timely, in-depth analysis. In addition, his co-authored scholarly articles have been used by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in preparing his current campaign finance reform proposal.

Young Alumnus in Public Administration and Policy Award - Brian C. Fessler, BA ’06, MPA ’07, Assistant Specialist, State Aid and Financial Planning, Questar III BOCES. As a specialist with the largest Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) in the state, Fessler helps more than 600 public school districts analyze and understand the complexities of state school aid projections, budget comparisons, and the recently enacted property tax levy cap.

Distinguished Continuing Professional Education Leadership Award of Excellence - Edward Murphy, MPA ’81, President and Executive Director, Workforce Development Institute. A military intelligence agent during the Vietnam War, Murphy went on to aid in the landmark Agent Orange Product Liability Litigation, lead the development of New York's first state workforce plan, found an organization providing humanitarian assistance to veterans, and become a published author and photographer.

Rockefeller College Distinguished Service Award - George P. Richardson, O’Leary Professor, Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy, University at Albany. Richardson was chair of the Department of Public Administration and Policy for eight years. His award-winning books and more than 50 articles and book chapters on the theory and applications of system dynamics modeling have international influence in multiple areas of public policy.

Visit http://www.albany.edu/rockefeller/alumni_awards/ to learn more about the important contributions made by this year’s honorees.